Discarded Clothes
by Mokomaiden
Summary: Link is thought to be dead, but was actually only comatose. He takes this opportunity to start fresh, and leave his old troublesome life behind. Dark Link has also used this chance to gain more knowledge of his thought to be dead love, Link.


Author's Note :Okay. Iknow what your going to say. "Dark Link isn't in Twilight Princess!" And yes I know that, well I will explain why he is present later, got it! So just read and enjoy. Oh and I do not own The Legend of Zelda. If I did I would not be writing a fan fiction, now would I? And I'm sorry Link's sections are so short.

* * *

_Once upon a time there was a great warrior. He fought many enemies and shed much blood to keep his people safe. The warrior was revered by many men and had captured the hearts of many women including a beautiful princess. He had even won the love of his shadow, without his knowledge. One day, he suddenly collapsed. No one knew what was wrong, he would not wake up. Much to the dismay of the people, the great warrior was declared dead. The princess had a royal burial arranged, but the people for whom he was born to, wanted to have the warrior buried in their village. The whole country was in agony and wracked with sorrow, but as with all tragedies it was soon forgotten…_

So here I am. If you hadn't guessed it, I am that _Great Warrior_. And you're probably wondering why I'm not dead. Well, I was never dead in the first place. I was actually just temporarily comatose, because I was poisoned. So I guess I should go back to the palace, and tell Zelda I'm alive, so she can just give me more bothersome work…and responsibilities…and… ON SECOND THOUGHT. Screw that! I'm going to stay "dead" and just live my life the way I wanted before I had to save the f***ing world. Maybe this was the Goddesses' way of telling me that I am finished with my task, and I can just go back to being just _Link._ I think I first want to get rid of these damn hero's clothes.

I stripped down to my underwear, and threw everything from my journey on the ground by my house. But remembering to retrieve my Ordonian clothes so I had something to change into, I swiped them from my leather pouch. I jumped on Epona's back, and rode as fast as I could away from my home and the pile of painful memories next to it.

* * *

"I still cannot believe that the hero is dead. He was so strong willed, gallant, and brave, but most of all he was so handsome," I said to myself. I was always the more talkative one, but maybe his "strong but silent" disposition is what made me fall in love with him. Yes, it's true. I have committed a mortal sin by loving my lighter self. But maybe I just have a bad case of narcissism. When I look at my reflection images of him rush into my mind, and I can't help but feel my groin tighten.

I walked carelessly through trees, as I thought about _him_. I note that I pass a small spring that seems familiar, so I walk towards it. There is a petite, blonde headed girl sitting on the sand, crying.

"Miss, I am sorry to intrude, but what spring is this?" I say in a deep, appealing voice.

"This…(sniff)… is Ordon…(sniff)… Spring," she said through sobs. Ordon Spring. That means I am close to where _he_ used to live. Maybe she knows where _he_ is buried.

"May I ask why you are crying?" She looks up at me for the fist time, and freezes.

"H…how can it be?! Y...you're dead!" She shouts, as she backs away franticly.

"I'm sorry you must have me mistaken for someone else, for I am very much alive," I see, so she must have known him, to mistake me for someone who is dead. "My name is Dark. And yours is?" She eyes me warily.

"My name is Illia. I'm sorry to be so rude. You just look like my friend that passed away recently."

"Oh, who was this friend?"

"His name was Link, but you may know him as the _Hero of Twilight_."

"Now I understand. This must have been the cause of your crying earlier." Illia blushed from my taking notice of her misfortune.

"My apologies Dark. I wish you hadn't seen me like that," she said my name apprehensively, not quite convinced that I wasn't _him._ I nodded and scanned the area. I sniffed the air. Due to my demonic nature, I could smell things humans could not. In the air I smelt clean water, dry leaves, and something all too familiar. I could smell _him_.

"Excuse me for a moment, Illia." I bolted out of the spring, trying desperately to locate the scent. What is it?! It couldn't be him could it? No it couldn't be. He is dead. But then what am I smelling?!

When I reached the end of the trail I was at his home. I could tell from the overpowering aroma of _him_. But the scent from his house was not the one he had followed, it wasn't as fresh. With another quick sniff, I came across something rather unexpected hidden in the grass near his home… _His_ clothes. 'Wasn't he buried in his green tunic?' I reached cautiously for the material, trying to comprehend if I was hallucinating or not. I wasn't. The pile was hastily thrown on the ground, and along with the tunic there was the Master Sword and his leather pouches. 'Maybe some grave robbers tried to steal from his grave, but got scared off, or something.' I think, trying to come up with some explanation to why these are here. I am a little disappointed that it wasn't actually him, but at least I found something that was his. I grab the pile, and shove it in my pouch. I replace my own sword with my newly found one, just in time for Illia to show up.

"Are you okay? I was worried when you suddenly ran off like that. You aren't sick are you?" she questioned tentatively.

"No I'm fine. But you have lost all usefulness, girl. Now sleep," I glared intensely into her eyes, easily forcing her unconscious with a dark magic. 'Oh damn, I should have asked for a place to stay. Why must I always be so hasty?'

* * *

'Hmmm… maybe I shouldn't have been so drastic about leaving _everything_ behind. I need some things like my wallet so I can rent a room at an inn. I guess I better go back and get all that stuff.' I walked back from the Sacred Grove to Ordon, leaving my horse behind so I would be less noticeable. I was careful to not pass anyone that would recognize me.

It didn't take long to return, since I was in wolf form. The spring was empty as I past it, with the exception of some footprints on the sand. As I walked the short wooded path to my house from the spring, I changed back into a hylain.

The clothes I had left were no longer there, but strangely, the Master Sword was. I picked it up, confused 'Wait this isn't mine. I mean, it looks like it but this one is black. What he hell. Where is my stuff?!' Searching for the clothes, I thrashed desperately through the bushes. 'Damn, someone must have picked them up. I am such an IDIOT!' I mentally yelled at myself. 'I guess I'll just go break some pots and stuff to get Rupees.'

* * *

I took a deep sniff of my beloved hero's garb. The scent was still so fresh, it smelt like dirt, blood, and an indescribable musk that made my heart race. It didn't smell anything like me, even though we are basically twins. I was so absorbed in my new treasures, that I didn't notice Illia awaking, until she gasped. Her sharp inhale made me hide the clothes abruptly behind my back. But with no benefit since she had already seen them and was the reason for her gasp.

"W… what? Why do you have those?! I knew there was some thing wrong with you! And why are you just sitting here while I am sleeping!" It appears that she doesn't remember me knocking her out.

"Well, I didn't want to tell you this, but I am actually the Hero of Twilight's twin brother." The lie had caught her of guard.

"Oh, I…I'm sorry. I didn't mean…" She stopped. Illia reached for my face, and whipped something from under my eye. "You were crying?" I pull the clothe form behind me. It was true. I had been crying and not even noticed. "So, you really are his twin aren't you? No wonder I thought you were him originally. I'm sorry. I didn't know he had I twin. My village's swordsman had found him as a child, so we didn't know who his family was."

"Yes I know. My mother told me when I was I younger, that I had a brother. She said that she had a dream of a mysterious being that wanted her to leave my brother in this village. The creature informed her that her blonde son would grow up to be a hero of immeasurable power." I said, completely fabricating a story, so she would believe me. "Since I have white hair, my mother kept me, and abandoned my brother. She didn't tell me about him until I met him one day in Castle Town when I was ten. I have secretly watched him ever since." The girl believed my lies without question.

"That must have been horrible, knowing that your twin didn't even know you existed." She paused for a moment to think. "But why do you have his clothes?"

"He had left them by a river one time, so he could wash off. They were badly torn. I took them, because I wanted to fix them before he came back. He never returned to them though, so I just kept them. I guess he had a spare."

"You are a kind soul; trying to help him in even the smallest of ways. It must have hurt speaking of the past. I apologize for making you. Do you have a place to stay tonight, if not you can spend the night in Link's house."

"Well I don't have a place to stay to night but I couldn't… sleep there. I appreciate the offer but I am going to have to decline." I said.

"Oh please, I'm sure it would make everyone very happy to learn about Link's twin brother."

"Okay, if you insist" I smirked as she lead the way. I already knew where he lived, but I thought it best that she did not know. Wonderful, now I can be even closer to my dearly departed.

* * *

_Link had collected enough rupees for a night's stay at the Castle Town Inn, but when the hero got to the towns' gates he remembered that he could not enter. For fear of getting seen, he decided to just sleep in a tree. As the two "twins" settled down for the night, they thought of what the future might hold for them._


End file.
